Clamp



W. J. RAULl Dec. 2, 1958 CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1957 INVENTOR.

' W/LZ/4M sf fiflUL/ Dec. 2, 1958 w. J. RAUL! 2,862,340

CLAMP Filed Feb. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 em-Ar o ,23 43 20 '& VIA III INVENTOR.

Wat/4M J. AflUA/ BY WA'a/w 2,862,340 Patented Dec. 2, 1958 CLAMP William J. Rauli, Leslie, Mich., assignor to Kelsey-Hayes Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 11, 1957, Serial No. 639,244

7 Claims. (Cl. 53-287) This invention relates to a clamp and refers more particularly to a clamp for use in securing a cover on a barrel.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a clamp especially adapted for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the open end thereof to firmly clamp on the side wall a cover extending across the open end of the barrel. Suflicient pressure is placed on the clamping ring to effect a substantially air-tight seal between the barrel and its cover. The ends of the split clamping ring are fastened together before the clamp is removed.

The invention has for another object to provide clamp which is fast acting and easy to operate.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention, with the clamping members loosely surrounding the split clamping ring.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1, with the clamping members firmly engaging the clamping ring.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the clamping members swung clear of the barrel.

Figure 4 is to top plan view similar to Figure 2, but showing the clamping members loosely surrounding the clamping ring.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-.-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the split clamping ring.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the device is indicated generally at 1 and is particularly adapted to draw a split clamping ring 2 around the generally cylindrical side wall 3 of a barrel 4 at the open end thereof to firmly clamp on the side wall a cover 5. The side wall 3 of the barrel is formed at the open end to provide a radially outwardly bowed circular rib or bead 6 of generally C-shaped. cross-section. The cover 5 has a central circular portion 7, and an annular marginal portion 8 including a cylindrical part 9 integrally connected to the margin of the central portion 7 and an annular return bent part 10 curved or bowed to fit over the bead 6 as shown Figure 5. The split clamping ring 2 is C-shaped in cross-section and is adapted to fit over the return bent part 10. V

The clamping ring has knuckles 11 secured toits ends, the knuckles having looped depending ends 12' forming aligned apertures. The shank of the bolt 12 extends through the aligned apertures in the, knuckles and the head 11 of the bolt abuts the side of the adjacent knuckle away from the'split. The nut 13 is threaded on the end of the shank and abuts the side of the other knuckle away from the split, the bolt head and nut cooperating to hold the knuckles and hence the split ends against movement away from each other.

The device 1 comprises a base plate 14 normally extending horizontally when in use. A semi-circular locator plate 15 is secured to the base plate 14 near the rear thereof and the inside radius of plate 15 approximates the outside radius of the barrel to locate the barrel in proper position on the base plate. A post 16 is rigidly secured to the locator plate and extends vertically upwardly therefrom. A mounting 17 is pivoted to the upper end of the post by a pin 18 secured to the post and extending laterally and horizontally at right angles to the post. The mounting includes the yoke 19 the legs of which are pivoted to the ends of the pivot pin projecting beyond the opposite sides of the post, and the parallel supports 20 secured to the yoke. The supports 20 extend forwardly and rearwardly and provide a support for the fluid pressure operated piston-cylinder assembly 21 secured thereto.

The mounting also includes a pivot block 22 rigidly secured to the supporting block 23 which is in turn rigidly carried by the bars 24 welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the parallel supports 20. The pivot block 22 is spaced directly above the yoke 19, and the closely spaced parallel pivot pins 25 extend from the pivot block to the yoke substantially at right angles to the supports 20.

The clamping members 26 and 27 are carried by the mounting. The clamping members 26 and 27 each comprise a semi-circular arm 28 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced abutments 29. Each abutment is secured to the underside of the associated arm and has a projecting part 30 extending into a notch 30 on the radially inner periphery of the arm. The radially inner edge of each abutment, including the projecting part thereof, has a generally O-shaped recess 31 adapted to 7 ends of the arms 28 and throughthe corresponding ends I extend from the valve to the front and rear ends of the of the bars 32.

A camming plate 33 is associated with the clamping members and has the elongated curved cam slots 34. Cam followers 35 are provided on the swinging ends of the clamping members. Each cam follower comprises a bolt 36 extending through the swinging end of the arm 28 and bar 32 of the associated clamping member and through one cam slot of the camming plate 33. A nut 37 is threaded on the shank of the bolt and a washer 38 is interposed between the nut and camming plate. A sleeve 39 encircles each bolt within the associated cam slot and has an outside diameter approximating the width of the cam slot to take up looseness. The camming plate 33 is secured to the end of the piston rod 40 carried by a piston (not shown) reciprocable within the cylinder 41 of the piston-cylinder assembly 21, the cylinder being fixed to the supports 20 of mounting 17. A manually operable four-way valve 42 of convention construction is mounted on the clamping member 26 and is adapted to admit fluid, either hydraulic or pneumatic, to either end of cylinder 41 while exhausting the other end. Fluid lines 43 and 44 cylinder.

The mounting is vertically swingable from a generally horizontal operative position, shown in Figure 1 in which the bars 32 of the clamping members rest on the top of the barrel, to the Figure 3 position .in whichthe supports 20 engage the stop 45 carried by the post 16. The post also has an abutment 46 engageable with the side wall of the barrel when it is fully engaged by the locator as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and a stop 47 carried by the piston rod 40 to limit retraction of the latter by engagement of the stop with the pivot block 22 through which rod 40 extends. A handle 48 is carried by the camming plate 33.

In operation, the device 1 is preferably disposed with the base plate 14 horizontal, and the mounting 17 tilted to the inoperative position of Fig. 3. The barrel 4, with cover and clamping ring in place at the upper open end of the barrel and with the split in the ring to the front, is placed on the base plate 14 in upright position with its side wall fully engaged with and seated against the semicircular locator plate 15, at which time the abutment 46 also engages the side wall of the barrel. With the camming plate in the forward position, shown in Fig. 1, 3 and 4, the mounting is swung to the operative position of Fig. 1 in which the bars 32 rest upon the cover 5. The handle 48 may be grasped to swing the mounting.

The valve 42 is then operated to admit fluid under pressure to the front or rod end of the cylinder 41 through line 43 and to exhaust line 44 to move the piston within the cylinder 41, and hence the camming plate 33, rearwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. As a result, the clamping members are swung toward one another to closed position. Upon swinging of the members 26 and 27 toward one another, the recesses of the abutments 29 have a progressive engagement with the clamping ring from the pivoted to the swinging ends of the members 26 and 27. This is apparent in Fig. 4 in which the abutments 29 nearest the pivoted ends are closest to the clamping ring. As a result, the clamping ring is drawn tightly around the return bent part of the cover under a substantial tension to press the return bent part 10 tightly against the annular bead 6 of the barrel and afford substantially an air tight seal. With the clamping members 26 and 27 held in closed position under pressure, the shank of the bolt 12 is then inserted through the aligned apertures of knuckles 11 and the nut 13 threaded tightly onto the shank. The head of the bolt abuts the side of one knuckle away from the split and the nut abuts the side of the other knuckle away from the split to maintain the tension on the clamping ring. The clamping device 1 makes it possible to place a large amount of tension on the clamping ring 2, much more than could be achieved manually, so that a more effective seal between the cover and barrel is obtained.

The valve 42 is then reversed to admit fluid under pressure to the rear end of cylinder 41 through line 44 and to exhaust line 43 to advance the piston in cylinder 41, and hence the camming plate 33, to the position of Figs. 1, 3 and 4, swinging the clamping members away from each other to open position. The mounting 17 is swung upwardly to the Fig. 1 position and the barrel removed.

The progressive engagement of the abutments 29 with the clamping ring when the members 26 and 27 swing together, or in other words the engagement of the clamping ring by the abutment in succession from the pivoted to the swinging ends of the members, draws the clamping ring tightly around the barrel taking out any slack in the ring and moving the ends of the ring toward one another whereupon they may be coupled together by the nut 13 and bolt 12.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A-device for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the open end thereof to firmly clamp on the annular side wall a cover extending across the open end of the barrel, said device comprising a pair of members adapted to extend around the clamping ring at opposite sides of the split, means pivotally supporting adjacent ends of said members for movement toward and away from one another, a camming member, camming elements at the swinging ends of said first-mentioned members engageable with said camming member, and power means for reciprocating said camming member, said camming member being operative, upon movement by said power means in one direction, to swing said first-mentioned members toward one another into firm engagement with theclamping ring and operative, upon movement by said power means in the opposite direction, to swing said first-mentioned members away from one another and out of clamping engagement with the clamping ring.

2. A device for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the open end thereof to firmly clamp on the annular side wall a cover extending across the open end of the barrel, said device comprising a mounting, a pair of semi-circular arms adapted to extend around the clamping ring at opposite sides of the split,

. said arms, having spaced ring engaging abutments along their radially inner surfaces, means pivotally supporting adjacent ends of said arms on said mounting for movement toward and away from one another, a fluid cylinder supported on said mounting having a piston reciprocable therein, a camming member operatively connected to said piston for reciprocation as a unit therewith, camming elements at the swinging ends of said arms engageable with said camming member, said camming member being operative, upon movement by said piston in one direction, to swing said arms toward one another for firm engagement of said abutments with the clamping ring and operative, upon movement by said piston in the opposite direction, to swing said arms away from one another and away from the clamping ring, and means pivotally supporting said mounting for swinging movement to an inoperative position, in which said arms are withdrawn from the barrel. p

3. A device for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the open end thereof to firmly clamp on the annular side wall a cover extending across the open end of the barrel, said device comprising a. generally horizontal barrel support for supporting the end of the barrel opposite the open end, a post extending upwardly from said barrel support, a mounting pivoted to the upper end of said post for vertical swinging movement between operative and inoperative positions, a pair of semi-circular members having adjacent ends pivoted to said mounting for swinging movement toward and away from'one another and adapted to extend around the clamping ring at-the upper open end of the barrel and at opposite sides of the split in the operative position of said mounting, and power means carried by said mounting operative to swing said members toward one another into firm clamping engagement with the clamping ring and to swing said members away from one another and out of engagement with the clamping ring, said mounting being vertically swingable to its inoperative position in which said members are spaced above the barrel enabling its placement on and removal from said support.

4. A device for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the open end thereof to firmly clamp on the annular side wall a cover extending across the open end of the barrel, said device comprising a generally horizontal barrel support for supporting the end of the barrel opposite the open end, a post extending upwardly from said barrel support, a mounting pivoted to the upper end of said post for vertical swinging between operative and inoperative positions, a pair of semi-circular arms having adjacent ends pivoted closely together on said mounting for swinging movement toward and away from one another between open and closed positions and adapted to extend around the clamping ring at the upper open end of the barrel and at opposite sides of the split in the operative position of said mounting, a camming member, camming elements on the swinging ends of said arms engageable with said camming member, and power means carried by said mounting for reciprocating said camming member, said camming member being operative, upon movement by said power means in one direction, to swing said arms toward one another to firmly clamp the clamping ring and operative, upon movement by said power means in the opposite direction, to swing said arms away from each other and out of clamping engagement with the clamping ring, said mounting being vertically swingable to its inoperative position in which said arms are spaced above the barrel enabling its placement on and removal from said support.

5. A device for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the upper open end thereof to firmly clamp on the annular side wall a cover extending across the upper open end of the barrel, said device comprising a generally horizontal barrel support for supporting the barrel in upright position, a post extending upwardly from said barrel support, a mounting pivoted to the upper end of said post for vertical swinging between operative and inoperative positions, a pair of semi-circular arms having adjacent ends pivoted closely together on said mounting for swinging movement toward and away from one another between open and closed positions and adapted to extend around the clamping ring at the upper open end of the barrel and at opposite sides of the. split in the operative position of said mounting, said arms having spaced ring engaging abutments along to firmly clamp on the annular side wall a cover extending across the open end of the barrel, said device comprising a generally horizontal barrel support for supporting the end of the barrel opposite the open end, a mounting, means pivotally supporting said mounting adjacent the upper open end of the barrel when on said support for vertical swinging movement between operative and inoperative positions, a pair of semi-circular members having adjacent ends pivoted to said mounting for swinging movement toward and away from one another and adapted to extend around the clamping ring at the upper open end of the barrel and at opposite sides of the split in the operative position of said mounting, and power means carried by said mounting operative to swing said members toward one another into firm clamping engagement with the clamping ring and to swing said members away from one another and out of engagement with the clamping ring, said mounting being vertically swing- 1 able to its inoperative position in which said members the radially inner sides thereof, means for locating the barrel on said support in position with the clamping ring engaging the abutments adjacent the pivoted ends of said arms in the open position of the latter and in the operative position of said mounting, a double acting pistoncylinder assembly including a cylinder supported on said mounting and a piston reciprocable therein, a reciprocable camming member operatively connected to said piston for movement as a unit therewith, camming elements carried by the swinging ends of said arms engageable with said camming member, said camming member being operative, upon movement by said piston in one direction, to swing said arms toward one another to efiect a progressive engagement of the clamping ring by said abutments from the pivoted to the swinging ends of said arms and operative, upon movement by said piston in the opposite direction, to swing said arms away from each other and out of engagement with the clamping ring, said mounting being vertically swingable to its inoperative position in which saidarms are spaced above the barrel enabling its placement on and removal from said support.

6. A device for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the open end thereof are spaced above the barrel enabling its placement on and removal from said support.

7. A device for drawing a split clamping ring around the annular side wall of a barrel at the open end thereof to firmly clamp on the annular side wall a cover extending across the open end of the barrel, said device comprising a generally horizontal barrel support for supporting the end of the barrel opposite the open end, a mounting, means pivotally supporting said mounting adjacent the upper open end of the barrel when on said support for vertical swinging movement betwen operative and inoperative positions, a pair of members having adjacent ends pivoted to said mounting for swinging movement toward and away from one another and adapted to extend around the clamping ring at the upper open end of the barrel and at opposite sides of the split in the operative position of said mounting, and means operative to swing said members toward one another into firm clamping engagement with the clamping ring and to swing said members away from one another and out of engagement with the clamping ring, said mounting being vertically swingable to its inoperative position in which said members are spaced above the barrel enabling its placement on and removal from said support.

Hall Dec. 1, 1931 Kojan Apr. 7, 1953 

